“Apparently kids got their arm stuck in it,” said Varela, manager of Kids ‘N Kribs. She takes no chances, routinely checking toys customers bring in to see if the items make the hit list of recalls issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Amid a still-struggling economy, stores and non-profit groups that cater to families striving to find the right toy within tight budgets also have to be extra vigilant to ensure kids don’t end up with donated dangerous or defective toys.

“We have to be very meticulous,” said Major Henry Hudson, administrator of the Adult Rehabilitation Center at the Salvation Army of Broward County.He said the organization receives many new and used toy donations but only sells new ones that come in packages.

But even new ones can pose a threat, so the Salvation Army checks any toy it plans to sell to see if it’s on a recall list, Hudson said. “If it passes, then we put it on the shelves.”

More difficult to monitor these days is the sale of recalled toys on websites like eBay and Craigslist, said Patty Davis, of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The commission has a 24-hour Internet surveillance team checking websites to make sure illegal items are taken down.

“We are always checking,” Davis said.

Four years ago, it became illegal to resell a recalled item and at that point about 170 toys were recalled, Davis said. Recalled items in 2012 include Feels Real baby dolls, Captain Cutlass toy pirate pistols and Whoozit Starry Time rattles.

Davis said commission representatives go to stores, give seminars and work closely with managers and employees to make sure they understand what can and cannot be sold.

“We do not want to put anyone out of business,” she said. “We know they are providing arealservice to their community, especially in these difficult times.”

Local moms also are paying attention to toy recalls.

Michelle Martin, organizer of The South Florida Playgroup, said the 118-member meet-up group routinely informs each other about toy safety.

“We’ll ask and say ‘did you know there was a recall on this particular car seat? There’s this piece you need to get for this’,” said Martin, of Pembroke Pines. “There’s always a recall, all the time. It happens.”

Parents and caregivers also post on the group’s Facebook page any information they discover or share it at occasional toy swaps. But that can also prompt action even though there is no recall.

While it isn’t a toy, Varela at Kids ‘N Kribs pulled a infant recliner from its shelves last week after seeing a Facebook posting that said it posed a hazard.

“I’m not going to be taking any chances,” Varela said.

Anyone shopping for items for children should research the product online and check reviews, said Jennifer Marseille, mother of two and member of the Palm Beach County Moms Meetup group.

“I think it’s very, very important just to know what we are exposing our children to,” she said.